In a glassware forming machine of the individual section type there are a number of mechanisms, conventionally pneumatically operated, which from time to time (for example when the size of ware being manufactured changes) need to be adjusted in position vertically. Such a mechanism is the plunger mechanism which is used to form a parison in the operation of glass machines, and a plunger mechanism requires the supply of operating air--that is to say compressed air, vacuum and exhaust--for its operation.
If the operating air were to be supplied to the plunger mechanism through rigid piping, it would be necessary to replace the piping on any significant vertical adjustment of the mechanism. Flexible piping is therefore generally used. However, to allow for vertical adjustment of the mechanism, the flexible piping is normally much longer than the direct distance between the point at which the air is supplied to the mechanism and the point on the machine frame from which the air is supplied. To a conventional plunger mechanism it is usually necessary to provide for each plunger five pipes to supply operating air to the mechanism, respectively for, plunger operating up, plunger operating down, vacuum, thimble up, and plunger cooling or counter blow (depending on the process being used). Thus for a triple gob mechanism fifteen pipes are crowded into a confined space. Consequently the pipes are close to each other, but it is desirable to ensure that the pipes do not touch as this can result in an unduly short pipe life because the pipes move when either compressed air or vacuum is switched on or off and can thus abrade each other.
It is one of the various objects of the present invention to provide an improved arrangement for supplying air to a mechanism in a glass machine.